The little moments cost Walcha as their premiership dream turned into another grand final nightmare at Peter Fenwicke Oval on Saturday.
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In a script reminisce of their 2012 heart-break the Rams led for the majority of the game only to just fall short.
After leading 18-5 at half-time and then fighting back to be up 24-19 up with just under five minutes to play, they were daring to dream.
But as they did in 2012, Pirates mustered a late try to snatch it from them, Andrew Collins crashing over with three minutes remaining. Wes Rooney slotted the conversion to put them ahead 26-24.
Chasing their first premiership since 1997, the Rams did get one final chance but turned the ball over.
It probably summed up the difference between the two sides. As Rams co-coach Barry Hoy put it afterwards Pirates "don't make those mistakes".
Their third successive grand final loss to the now nine-times champions the players were visibly gutted, the circumstances making this one that bit tougher to swallow.
They were at home, had finished minor premiers and beaten Pirates twice.
Hoy conceded it was the hardest to take.
"Because we've been playing such good footy through the year," he said.
"Probably we didn't play our best but you can only play as well as you're allowed."
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After being piped on through a tunnel that stretched half the length of the field, the Rams took a little while to warm to their task with Pirates first to score.
But they ground their way back into the game and had two chances to take the lead before they eventually did, Simon Newton's second penalty putting them up 6-5 midway through the first half.
The best attacking side in the competition they then showed why, Newton putting Dom Bower into a hole and the fullback racing away 40m to score.
They were in again a couple of minutes later from another breakout from within their half.
The try of the game, Newton hit centre Tom Bucknell with a short ball. He was caught by the Pirates defence but managed turn in the tackle and get an offload away to centre partner Ed Cordingley, who finished superbly to the roar of the Walcha faithful, who decked out in their red and white turned out in their droves.
Newton added the extras to give them an 13 point lead at half-time, and plenty of reason to hope.
"I was fairly confident at half-time, even running into the breeze," Hoy said.
They just had to retain the ball. They'd shown what they were capable of ball in hand in the first half.
But they weren't able to do that as effectively as they hoped in the second half, their first points of the half not coming until the last 10 minutes.
They had a couple of chances prior to that but for one reason or another were unable to make anything of them.
"We just made a few little errors that cost us in the end," Hoy said.
"But they're (Pirates) a finals football side, that's why they do so well."
Admist their disappointment the Rams could only take their hats off to the premiers. They were again just too good, that ability to win those tight games telling.
